Toyota Motor North America recently celebrated the grand opening of the Toyota Experience Center (TEC), Toyota’s first and only comprehensive visitor attraction in North America.
At the TEC, team members and their guests learn about Toyota’s past, present and future through a variety of interactive exhibits and artful displays, all of which honor the company’s most important asset – its people.
Customer Experience Gallery
Visitors begin their journey with a look into the Customer Experience, where Toyota representatives are in daily contact with their customers. The History and Heritage Gallery chronicles the arrival and early history of Toyota in North America, featuring 10 of the company’s classic/innovative historic cars and iconic images of early advertising. Next comes the Here and Now Gallery, showcasing current production models and the latest print and digital ads. Beyond this exhibit space, the Manufacturing Experience and Sales Experience immerse visitors in Toyota’s manufacturing, sales and “continuous improvement” culture.
Manufacturing Experience
Throughout the TEC, Toyota’s commitment to innovation is front and center – from the gallery of motor sports vehicles, to an exhibit on the Lexus luxury brand, to the concluding “Innovation Space” and “Mobility Workshop” experiences. The Innovation Space displays a myriad of Toyota’s technical advances and technology “firsts,” while celebrating the team members responsible for them. The Mobility Workshop is a working laboratory for robotics aimed at helping people, especially those with limited mobility or special needs, with a variety of tasks.
Racing Gallery
JRA designer, Wentao Huang, in the Lexus Experience.
JRA provided the exhibit planning, design, and project management for the 44,000-square-foot center. “Many of those working on Toyota’s campus may not have the opportunity to see the whole picture and experience manufacturing or robotics,” said JRA Senior Project Director, Rob Morgan. “The TEC gives them a place to come and see the various facets of this dynamic company. It also gives them a sense of pride by reinforcing the notion that Toyota Motor North America cares as much about its people as it does about its products.”
JRA team members Jason Hedges, Bjorn Kemper, and Rob Morgan in the History and Heritage Gallery.
According to TEC curator Cindy Knight: “We wanted to create a space that would not only educate team members about the past, present and future of Toyota in North America, but also hopefully inspire them to see the part each of them plays in our continuing story.”
Innovation Workshop
Images courtesy Toyota North America and Wentao Huang for JRA. Featured image: the TEC Sales Experience